Sterilizing rack



p 1947- cs. A. ANDERSON 2,419,191

STERILIZING RACK Fild May 14, 1945 2220675221 64252506 QQzQerw/z Patented Apr. 22, 1947 STERILIZING RACK Gustave A. Andersen, Chicago, 111., assignor to Rite-Way Products (30., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application May 14, 1945, Serial No. 593,563

' 4 Claims.

This invention relates to racks of the type used for supporting the teat cups and associated claw connection of a milking machine, particularly during sterilization.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a sterilizing rack of the type above mentioned which is provided with a plurality of sets of spaced projecting bars for receiving and holding the teat cups, and wherein the arrangement is such that the teat cups are maintained sufficiently spaced apart to avoid kinks in the hose leading to the claw which is connected to the teat cups.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a structure which may readily be secured to a supporting wall and wherein the cups are adequately supported in a position so spaced from the wall as to avoid contact therewith, thus avoiding the contamination that may result from such contact. It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a sterilizing rack of the above mentioned character wherein the sets of teat cup supporting rods extend from opposite sides of the center of the rack and at an angle to one another so as to reduce the overall width of the sterilizing rack.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a sterilizing rack of theabove mentioned character which is simple and economical of construction and which may readily be kept clean.

The attainment of the above and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a frontview of a sterilizing rack embodying the present invention with the associated apparatus mounted thereon;

Figure 2 is a top view of the rack of Figure l; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of Figure 2.

The sterilizing rack of the present invention, indicated at l, is mounted on a wall 2. The

sterilizing rack comprises a unitary casting which includes a ring 4 having-an extension 5 at the rear thereof terminating in a vertical flange 6 which is adapted to bear against the wall 2 and which has a pair of holes '1 therethroimh for receiving screws that pass through the flange 6 and into the wall 2 for mounting the rack. The inside of the ring 4 has a flange 10 extending around the complete inner circumference of the 2 ring at the bottom thereof, for supporting a container 1 1 (Fig. 1) that holds a cleaning or sterilizing fluid. The container 11 rests on the periph-' eral flange 19 and flts rather snugly within the ring 1 which surrounds the container and holds it against tilting. The bottom of the container has a pair of valved nozzles 12 extending down-1 wardly through the ring 1, with manually operable valves 13 below the rack.

On each side of the ring there are two similar sets of bars, indicated, at 1516. Each set comprises four parallel bars 18, 19, 211 and 21 symmetrically spaced. The bars are cast integrally with the ring 4. The bars Iii-20 are joined at their ends by a cross connection 22 which is an integral part of the bars 19-20. The center line of the set of bars 15 is indicated at 24, and the center line of the similar set of bars 16 is indicated at 25. These two center lines intersect one another at the center 26 of the ring. It is to be noted that the center lines 24-25 are at an angle to one another and extend from the center 26 in a direction forwardly of the mounting wall 2. As a result, the free end of the rearmost bar 21 is further from the supporting wall 2 than that arm is at a location closer to the ring 4. This leaves a space between the bar 21' and the wall 2 for ventilation, and facilitates keeping of the rack clean The rear bar 21, at

its outer end, has two downwardly extending hose-receiving projections 28 which are circular in cross section and tapered slightly, being of a maximum diameter at their upper ends and a minimum diameter at their lower ends. These projections 28, are cast as an integral part of larger diameter than the rest of the, teat cup.

Two teat cups are supported between the bars 26-21 and two teatcups between the bars 18-19. A hose 35,1"rom the claw is connected to the nozzle 12. The valve is opened so that liquid from the container 11 flows through the hose 35, the claw 32, to the cups 29-30, filling those cups. When the cups are-filled. the operator closes the Valve13.

A pair of inflation hose 36-46 also extend from the claw. In order to prevent these hose from possibly dragging on the floor the open ends of the hose 36 are slipped over the projections 28 where they make a' snug sliding fit, merely to hold the suction hose from dragging on the floor. v.

The bars |s l"e and the parsed-2i are spaced apart an amountsufficient to receive the teat cups 29. The bars ill-20 are spaced apart a greater distance to make certain that there is sufficient space between the two cups resting on the bars 2il-2| and the two cups resting on the.

bars l8l9 to avoid kinks or sharp bends'in the tubing 31 that extends from the cups to the claw 32.

By reason of the angular relationship of the two sets of bars II 3 there is obtained a compact sterilizing rack wherein there is no danger that the rearmost teat cups 253 may contact the wall 2 and be contaminated by dirt on the wall. Furthermore, there is sufficient space between the rearmost pair of teat cups and the foremost pair of teat cups, namely, the space between the bars I92ll, so that a person can insert his hand be tween those teat cups to reach the valves it of the container for manipulating the valves.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statues I have here shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention; It is, however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction here shown, the same being merely illustrative of the principles of the invention.

v What I consider new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

1. A unitary rack for holding a cleaning fluid container and teat cups and the tubes leading therefrom to allow cleaning fluid to be supplied thereto, said rack comprising a ring having flange means along the inside thereof below the top of the ring for holding a cleaning fluid container, the ring having at the back thereof a mounting flange for securing the ring to a supporting wall, the ring having, on each side of the mounting flange, a set of four symmetrically spaced parallel bars extending from the ring, the center line of each set of symmetrically spaced bars intersecting the center of the ring and the two center lines intersecting one another at an anew substantially less than 180 and more than 90, each of said center lines extending from the center of the ring in a direction forwardly of the back of the ring whereby each bar extends angularly outwardly of a supporting wall on which the mounting flange may be secured.

2. A unitary rack for holding a cleaning fluid container and teat cups and the tubes leading therefrom to allow cleaning fluid to be supplied thereto, said rack comprising a cast ring having flange means along the inside thereof below the top of the ring for holding a cleaning fluid con"- tainer, the ring having at the back thereof a Tiounting flange formed'integrally' therewith for securing the ring to a supporting wall, the ring having; on each side of the mounting flange, a set of four symmetrically spaced parallel bars extending from the ring and integrally formed therewith, the center line of eachset of symmetrically spaced bars intersecting the center of the ring with the two center lines intersecting one another at an angle substantially less than tion forwardly of the back of the ring whereby each bar extends angularly outwardly of a supporting wall on which the mounting flange may be secured and the minimum distance between the ends of the two sets of bars is less than the sum of the outside diameter of the ring plus the lengths of two bars, and one of the bars of each set having' at the outer e nd thereof, a pair of integrally formed downwardly extending hose-receiving projections adapted to enter the end of an elastic hose to hold the end of the hose in place. a

3. A unitary rack for holding a cleaning fluid container and teat cups and the tubes leading therefrom to allow cleaning fluid to be supplied thereto, said rack comprising a cast ring having flange means along the inside thereof below the top of the ring for holding a cleaning fluid contamer, the ring having at the back thereof a mounting flange formed integrally therewith for securing the ring to a supporting wall, the ring having, on each side of the mounting flange, a s'et'of'four symmetrically spaced parallel barsextending from the ring and integrally formed therewith, the bars of the two'sets being all at the samelevel, the centerline ofeach set of sym metrically spaced barsintersecting the center of thering with the two center lines intersecting one another at an angle substantially less than 180 and more than so", each of said center lines extending from the center of the ring in a direction forwardly of the back of the ring whereby each bar extends angularly outwardly of a-supporting wall on which the mounting flange may be secured and the minimum distance between the ends of the two sets of bars is less than the sum of the outside diameter of the ring plus the lengths of two bars, the center bars of each set being joined at their outer ends to strengthen the'sets of bars.

4; A unitary rack for holding a cleaning fluid container and teat cups and the tubes leading therefrom to allow cleaning fluid to be supplied thereto, said rack comprising a cast ring having flange means along the inside thereof below the top of the ring forholding a cleaning fluid container, the ring having at the back thereof a mounting flange formed integrally therewith for securing the ring to a supporting wall, the ring having, oneach side of the mounting flange, a set of four symmetrically spaced parallel bars extending from the ring and integrally formed the'same level, the center line of each set of symmetrically spaced bars intersecting the centenof the ring with the two center' lines intersecting one another at an angle substantially less than 189 and more than each of said center lines extending from the center of the ring in a direction forwardly of the back of the ring whereby therewith, the bars of the two sets being all at:

each bar extends angularly outwardly of a sup:

porting wall on, which the mounting flange may be secured and the minimum distance between the ends of the two sets of barisfis less than the sum of the outsidediameter of the ring plus'the lengths oftwo bars, the center barsof each set' being joined at their outer ends to st'rengthent he sets of bars, and one of the bars of'each sethav i at the outer 'end thereof, a pair of integrally formed downwardly extending hosee'receivirig projections adapted to enter the end of an elastic hose to hold the'end'of the hose in place;

cu hy-e A? Annitasoivfi 

